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Safety Checklist for Rigging

There are many different types of rigging devices used internationally for various construction and engineering purposes. These pieces of equipment can be very dangerous if they are not handled correctly. Each company that uses them has its own set of safety regulations that must comply to government standards.

  1. Responsibilities

    • Each part of any company that uses rigging equipment has its own set of responsibilities to make the workplace safe. Each should be taken seriously and implemented without exception, starting right at the top with the department officials. These individuals need to be able to identify areas correctly and what techniques are to be used; they need to obtain the best and safest equipment for the job; make sure that the equipment is properly inspected; and make sure that each worker is properly trained.

      The supervisor must know when each rigging technique is necessary; and they need to make sure that the workers attend their training and have learned it and are able to use it. The workers must attend training; they have to know how to handle the equipment correctly; how to maintain the equipment; and they must use safe lifting techniques.

    Safety Techniques

    • There are specific things that workers must do to make sure that the operations will run as smoothly and as safely as possible. Before doing anything, always inspect the rigging machinery. Make sure that the switch limits are not overloaded and that the load does not exceed regulation weight; know where the center of the load should be placed so that the load is not uneven; protect the slings from any sharp corners or edges; adjust tension accordingly.

      Always start and stop the machinery at a slow pace and watch for anything that might be in the load's path. Make sure that any hooks are closed completely and locked into place. Keep control of the loads at all times and always make sure there is someone watching the load.

    Safety Equipment

    • Workers should always be wearing any required safety equipment including hard hats. Other devices will depend on the type of job the person is doing.

      To ensure the safest workplace, there are ropes that can be purchased for rigging devices that have sensors built into them for weighing the load automatically. This ensures there are no overweight loads and will also notify the operators if the weight is not balanced.

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